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Agreed, sealing = key.Choose the correct sealing tape as well.For me cling film (saran wrap(sp?) works best.I have had complete faliures with selotape and marsking tape:-(What taps or seals have others used to success or failiure?

Well this is interesting. That last batch of agar I accidentally doubled the peroxide. It was 10ml peroxide for 500ml of agar. Immediately after transfer each dish was wrapped in saran wrap. All but 2 contamed with black pin mold. Each black pin bloom is eminating from the edge. Neither of my two blanks contamed.

Any body got any idea on how to stop this? I have lost so many dishes my hopes of isolating a strain is basically cached. I have lost 75% of 30 dishes. Each contam is black pin mold eminating from the edge of the dish.

When the Petris are opened, they should be opened inside the glove box, anything called "cleaner room than a kitchen" is no good for agar work. Are you using lids for the Petris ? How and where do you place the lids when you open the Petri ? For how long are the Petris exposed to open air ? This procedures all also very important.
Other problem could be the mycelium, even if you use H2O2, some molds can survive it if the mycelium is infected.
My recomendation is to do everything inside the glove box. Clean every material going inside with a towel soaked with alcohol and do your stuff.

I had the same problems that you are talking about and the glove box with the rounded bottoms doesn't help . Everything now is being done in front of a laminar flow box. So far no contams. So how you do it and where are major issues. Even in the lysoled glove box I would pick up contams. Where they come from is beyond me. So far with the HEPA flow box everything is contam free. I seal the sides with Parafilm.bonsai

--------------------"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
--Frank Zappa--